hewitt



No Model.) M 2 sheets-sheet 1.

H. H. HEWTT.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented June l0, 1884.

N. PETERS. mwumngnphw. wuhingmn. un.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. H! HEWTT.

GAR GOUPLING. No. 300,257. PatentedJune 10, 1884.

e g 6 F 740317619566 LM #l M JLM tilniTnn STnTns iPaTisiT @risica HERBERT H. HEVIVF, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,257, dated .Tune 10, 1884.

Application iiled December 7, 1SS3. (No model.)

To all who/it it may con/cerner y Be it known that l, HERBERT H. Hnwrrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of N ew York, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Batting and Coupling Attachments for Railway-Gars, of which the following is a speeiiicat-ion.

The car baiting and coupling device forming the subject-matter of this application is coinposed of one main casting or forging, so shaped that the limiting-strains are resisted indirect line with the door-timbers of the car by means of astein extending from the back of the bufferhead and passing through the end sill ofthe car, and a stein extending from the lower part of the buffer-head below the Iioortimbers of the 'cai'. Said stems are parallel, and their free ends are. connected to `the draw and buffer spring gear of the ordinary construction. By

-this arrangement l. embody the advantages of the Miller buffer, covered by United States Letters Patent No. 56,594, dated July 24., 1866- viz., having the direction of compression strains in line with the floor-timbers ofthe car, by means of a more perfectconstruetion, by reason of the extra stem located under the sill, said construction enabling me to combine with the butter a coupling device the connecting part of which consists of a downwardly-projecting hook located immediately below the buffer-head and integral with it and the two stems.

This invention also embraces a new method of coupling ears, which consists in raising a pendent coupling-link attached to the coupling device of one car so that its free end en-v gages the downwardly-projecting hook of the coupling device of the other car. This raising of the link is performed by means of a pivoted lifter operated by a hand-lever located at the side of the car, thus avoiding the necessity ot' the attendant going between the ends of the ears. A link-retaining device is also provided to close the entrance to the downwardly-project-ing hook, thus securelyholding said link in position, and it is so caused to close vthe opening ofthe hook by the end of the link itself as it passes over the hook. The link-lifter is also adapted t-o free the end of the link so retained on the hook by being turned back ward, thus enabling cars to be detached as well as connected when they are close together, thus avoiding the necessity of moving ears for these purposes, and thereby greatly facilitating the operation of coupling and uneoupling cars and removing all dangers attending such operations. The nncoupling of cars may also be performed while the cars are in motion, thus greatly facilitating the operation of switching porti ons of a train onto different tracks, This coupling dev-ice is also adapted to be used in conjunction with ordinary link-couplers, and has sufficient range of motion to connect cars whose couplers are at different heights, and where necessary the ordinary coupling-link, either straight or bent, may be used, leaving the link belonging to my coupling device in a pendent position, as when in such position the link is entirely out of the way, being below the buffer-block of the car.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure l, Sheet l, is a frontview of my improved buer and coupler. Fig. 2, Sheet l, is aside view of the same. Fig. 3, Sheet l, is a longitudinal central section showing the ends of two ears each provided with my improved buffer and coupler. Fig. Ll, Sheet l, is a side elevation showing a inodilication in the construction. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, represents two couplers and buffers as shown in Fig. 3, looking upward. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, is a transverse section cut on the line x al, Fig. 3. Fig. 7, Sheet 2, shows my improved coupler in position to couple with an ordinary coupler. Fig. S, Sheet 2, is a longitudinal central section of a modification adapting my improvements to be Substituted for the ordinary coupler without any material changes heilig made on the car; and Fig. 9, Sheet 2, is a transverse section of the same cut on the line yy.

c is the buffer-head, c', the upper stein, passing through a slot formed in the bufferblock 29 and end sill, 2; u?, the lower stein, passing under the head-block and sillg'o, the downwardly'projecting hook gI u, the side lugs, between which the parts ot' the coupler are pivoted; and o, cheeks, the front edges of which, as well as the front edge of the hook af", are in line with the buffer-face, the object ol' these cheeks being to prevent a very low vSo IOO

coupler of the ordinary construction crowding under the hook af. All of these parts constitute one piece, preferably a steel casting. The cheeks ai may be omitted, if desired, as shown at Fig. 4.

To the front of the buffer-block 29 is secured by bolts the guide-plate b, provided with a rectangular hole as a bearing for the upper stem, a', and a grooved bearing for the upper surface of the lower stem, af. The free ends of the stems a and a2 are connected by means of the bolt a to the buffer and draw-gear of ordinary construction located between the draw-timbers 2G 2G, and which consists of a yoke, al, a draw and buffer spring, 5, drawbar bolt 7, follower-plates 14 14, guides 18, and stops 17, said bolt c passing through the yoke al, the free ends of the stems a and a, andthe eye of' the draw-bar bolt 7, after these parts are placed in position relatively-to one another, as shown.

In the recess formed by the two lugs a* at is placed the link-retaining device @,held therein by the pin d, upon which it freely turns. Through a hole in this piece c is permanently secured the connecting-link e, and it is provided witha notch or opening,the upper side, c, of which closes the opening of the hook a when the coupler is open and in its normal position, as shown at Fig. 2, and the lower side, c2, also closes the opening of the hook to retain the free end of the link e thereon, as shown in the left-hand coupler of Fig.- 3. .To lock or retain this piece c when in this position, another notch is formed in it,into which the sliding bolt or catch f, iitted to slide freely in an oblique groove formed in the stem a, falls, and against which the side c of said opening bears. The bolt f may, if desired, be provided with a spring to throw it down and retain it in the notch. of the piece c; but I deem its weight sufficient for this purpose.

' The cap-platefholds the boltf in its oblique groove when this coupling device is detached -from a car.

The central and rear portions of the link-retaining piece are cut away to form a slot for the reception of the link-lifter g, which is securely fastened to the center of the pin d by any suitable means, a good practical way being as clearly shown at Figs. 3 and G-viz., a hexagonal shoulder formed on the center of the pin, iitting in a corresponding hole in the lifter g, the entering end ofthe pin being reduced in size to pass through the hole in the lifter y. Thepin is passed through the bearing-holes in the vlugs a, the link-retaining piece c, and lifter g, from left to right, Fig. 6, and is retained in place by the coupling-sockets h on the ends of the operating rods h. Said rods extend to the sides of the cars, being held in place by the wrought brackets h2, secured to the corners of the cars. Beyond these brackets they are bent at right angles, to form handles-7L, for operating the lifter. rPhe coupling-sockets h iit loosely on the ends of the'pin d, and are secured thereto byloosefitting split pins, thus forming universal j oints with sufficient play to allow for the different positions assumed by the coupling device when its buing and draft spring is under conipression. The end of the link -lifter has a T-head, g', to engage in the sides of the link e, to lift it into or beyond a horizontal position, and its rear edge is curved or camshaped, so as to adapt it to raise the bolt f away from the side c3 of the opening in the piece c, when the link-lifter is turned backward.

The operation is as follows: Assume two cars to be close together, with their respective couplers in their normal open position, as shown at Fig. 2, one of the handles h3 of one of the cars is moved upward toward the other car, thus violently throwing up the free end of the link e over the hook a3 of the adjacent coupler, which, striking the side c of the front notch in the piece c, turns said piece c on the pin d until the bolt f falls into the other notch, the other side, c?, of the front notch then closing the opening .of the hook a3 when the side c3 is against the bolt ff Thus' the coupling of cars can be effected as fast as the operator can move along the side of' a train 'of cars, and when all the cars are close together and stationary.' By reason of the link e being secured to the pivoted piece c, it has two centers on which to'turn in being thrown up, thereby giving it a greater range of motion than if it were pivoted directly to the draw-bar, and also preventing it from bending upon receiving direct blows on its free end.4 y y In Fig. 5, which is an underneath view of Fig. 3, the free pendent dead-link e is shown in section, and the cars are shown under traction-strain, with the active operating-link against the hook. To relieve the tractionstrain of the active operating-link from the pin d, its notched piece c may fit sufficiently loose on the pin, so that the front of this piece c shall also bear against the face of the hook ai, as shown in the righ't -hand coupler of Fig. 3.

To disconnect cars, all that is necessary to do is to turn one of the handles h of the coupler, in which the free end of the link of the other coupler is retained, backward, which causes the cam-shaped back of the lifter g to raise the bolt f away from the side c3 of the notch in piece c, allowing the piece c to fallinto the position shown at Fig. 2, and leaving the end of the link free to fall away from the hook. This can` be performed when the train is stationary and the cars close together or when IOO IIO

the train is in motion, thus greatly facilitat- Vunder the buffer-block 29 and end sill, 2,0f the car, and held up by the draw`bar-carrying iron 9 and a T-head tlange, fm, cast on the top of the body, immediately behind the head a. ofthe buffer, which fits and slides in the guide n, having` a correspondingly-shaped T-groove.

The construction and operation of the working parts are the same as those of the coupler before described, and are similarly marked.

Fig. represents the operation of coupling with an ordinary coupler, o, the link e beingl upheld by the side handles, 7a, so as to enter the mouth of the coupler o, as the cars are brought together.

Ordinary straight or bent links may be used in connecting` my improved couplerv with any of the couplers now in general use by placing one. end of the link over the hook ai, and by means of the handle h, movin` the notched piece round on the rod d, so as to close the opening` of the hook, the other end of the link being then placed in the ordinary coupler in the usual manner.

Having nonT described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows z l. The combina-tion, with a buffer having au integral stem constructed to pass through the buffer-block and the end sill of a car, and an integral stein located under the bufferbloek and end sill, of a buffer-head and draw spring attachment located between the center timbers behind the end sill, and connected to the free ends of the two stems of the buffer, substantially as set forth.

2. An integral buffer and coupler consist-` ing of a buffer-head, a downwardlyprojecting` hook located nnder the same, and two parallel stems, one adapted to pass through and the other under the buffer-block and end sill of a car, substantial-ly as set forth.

In a car-coupling, a detachable piece or plate pivoted to the draw-bar, and a pendent link permanently attached to said pivoted piece or plate and actuated by means,substan tially as described, whereby the link and pivoted piece' are swung up, so that the free end of the link engages a downwardly-projecting hook on or enters the mouth of au ordinary coupler of an adjacent car, as set forth.

i. The combination, with the downwardly-- projecting hook of a car-coupling, of a closing` device, constructed and operated to automatically close the opening of the hook when the coupling-link of an adjacent coupler passes over the hook and by the upward movement of the link, substantially as set forth.

In a. cancouplena downwardly-projecting hook, in conihinationivith a pivoted notched piece, which, when in open position, allows the free end of a coupling-link to pass into the notch over the hook, and when turned on its axis into its closed position the side ofthe notch retains the link on the hook, substantially as set forth.

(i. The combination, with a downwardlyprojectinghook and a pivoted notched closi n piece, ol' a sliding bolt or catch constructed. and operated to hold the pivoted closing-piece in its closed position, substantially asset forth.

7. In acoupling, a hook, and a pivoted piece provided with a notch, the upper side of which is in front of the hook when in its open position, in combination with the coupling-link of an adjacent car, which when thrown up over the hook strikes said upper side of the notch of the pivoted piece and forces it partly round on its center, so that the under side of the notch closes the opening to said hook, and a bolt or catch constructed and operated to hold the plate iu its closed posit-ion,substantially as set forth.

S. In a coupling, a pivoted notched piece, a bolt or catch adapted to hold the plate in its closed position, and alifter and cam device pi'voted on the same axis as the plate, const-ructed and operated,When moved in one direction, to turn the pivoted notched piece into its closed position, and when moved in the opposite direction to raise the bolt or catch to free the nofehed piece, substantially as set forth.

9. In a coupler, a pivotcd notched piece, a link permanently attached thereto and hang ing` loose, and a lifter pivoted on the same axis as the notched piece to raise said link into position to couple with an adjacent car, in coinbination, substantially as set forth.

10. In a coupler, a pivoted notched piece, a link permanently attached thereto and hanging loose, and a lifter pivoted on the same axis as the notched piece, in combination With a doWnwardly-projecting hook of the coupler of an adjacent ear, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ll. In a coupler, a pivoted notched piece, a link permanently attached thereto and hangin g loose, and a lifter pivoted on the same anis as the notched piece, in combination with the coupler on an adjacent car, composed of a hook, a pivoted notched piece adapted to close the *opening to the samen'hen the link passes over it, and a bolt or catch adapted to hold said plate in its closed position, substantially as set forth.

12. The integral buffer and coupler a a." a? a3, in combination With the connecting-bolt a, the yokea, and the draft and compression spring device 5, la, 13, and 1T, substantially as set forth.

13. The link c, notched piece c, lifter g, and handles 71,3, in combination, substantialb7 as set forth.

let. In combination, the pivoted notched piece c, lifter ,7, located between the lugs a" of a car-coupling, the pin d, fitted to turn freely in the lugs aL a", and notched piece c, and secured to the lifter g, and the rods it', attached to the ends of the pin d by means of universal couplings, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

15. The combination of the link c, pivoted piece cof a car-coupling, and downu'ardlypro- IOO IIO

jeetng hook wol' nezweonpling on un adjacent l shaped lifter y, substantially ns zuid for the ear, substantially as and 'or the purpose Set forth.

16. The link c :mdlifter g of n ear-coupling,

5 in eomhination with the hook a, and pivoted notched piece c of the eonpler of en adjacent ear, substantially es set forth.

17. rlhe combination of the link e, pivoted piece c, and lifter g, substantially as and for IO the purpose Set forth.

18. The combination of the hook el, notched pivoted pieee c, and sliding bolt f, substantially 21s and for the purpose set forth.

19. The'eombination, with the notched piece 15 c', the hook al, and sliding` boltf, of the eenipnrpose set forth.

20. The combination of the link e, pivoted pieee c, and pin d, by means of Whieh the pieee c is held between the lugs a* of the coupling, 2o substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

'In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand et .New York, County and State of New York, this 4th day of December, A. D. 1883.

HERBERT H. HEXVITT.

Vitnessee:

H. D. VILLIAMS, ALFRED SHEDLOQK. 

